Where Your Nose Is

One of my favorite activities is reading to young children. I think I'm very good at it, adding in all the appropriate gestures and sound effects, and using different voices for the various characters. There's nothing quite like sitting on the floor with a grandchild (or two or more) in your lap, reading the story and listening to the happy laughs.

I ran across this poem yesterday, which I can't wait to try out on my grandchildren this weekend - Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face, by Jack Prelutsky:

Be glad your nose is on your face,

not pasted on some other place,

for if it were where it is not,

you might dislike your nose a lot.

Imagine if your precious nose

were sandwiched in between your toes,

that clearly would not be a treat,

for you'd be forced to smell your feet.

Your nose would be a source of dread

were it attached atop your head,

it soon would drive you to despair,

forever tickled by your hair.

Within your ear, your nose would be

an absolute catastrophe,

for when you were obliged to sneeze,

your brain would rattle from the breeze.

Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,

remains between your eyes and chin,

not pasted on some other place—

be glad your nose is on your face!

I think the average small child will love this poem, particularly if it's accompanied by the right tones of voice.

I think I could suggest another verse on behalf of annoying religious and political proseletyzers:

Your nose should stay upon your face,

Not poked into some other place

Where business has it not a bit

And you just prove you're full of ... uh ... never mind.

I couldn't use this verse with the grandchildren, of course. Sadly, though, they'll learn about it soon enough.

Have a good day. Don't be nosy. See you tomorrow for Cartoon Saturday.

Bilbo